


Beyond Our Reach

by mcicioni



Category: The Magnificent Seven (1960)
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gen, Quadruple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26475139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcicioni/pseuds/mcicioni
Summary: A leave-taking at the end of the film.
Comments: 5
Kudos: 6





	Beyond Our Reach

  
  


A while ago Chris was standing where I am now. It’s my turn. It wouldn’t be right to leave without saying goodbye to each of you.

What _you_ were, we knew. Possibly the most competent of us at what we did. You didn’t need any of us, or the villagers. But you were always there when you were needed.

Who you were, nobody ever figured out. Your past was a mystery – not once did you let anything slip out, like how you ended up in our line of work, or why you changed your mind about joining us. In the six weeks we stayed in the village, I can’t remember you ever saying more than ten words at once. Or making any sort of noise, even a laugh. You were always beyond our reach. Silent and closed off, like in a suit of armour.

The last words I heard from you were when Calvera’s men gave us our guns back. You said _Nobody throws me my own guns back and says, Run_. For a moment, I felt that a chink was opening in your armour, that we could see a little of your thoughts or feelings. But you buckled on your gunbelt and mounted up without saying anything else. The next time we saw you, you were lying face down in the dust behind one of the little walls you had built with us. O’Reilly had the three kids to send him on his way, and Harry had Chris. You, like Lee, were alone at the end.

Well. Chris, Chico and I are about to ride out of this place. I’d bet my gun against your knife that Chico will ride back here in less than an hour. Speaking of your knife, Chris has it. Maybe in a day or two, if we’re still riding together and if he’s in the right mood, I’ll ask him about you.

Time to go. Just one more thing. This small plant here, it’s already got a few roots. The woman who gave it to me told me that the kind of soil doesn’t matter, it’ll grow by itself provided the hole I dig is deep enough. So I’m digging it deep, and it’s going to be a tall, lean cactus, with maybe one or two flowers. Surviving all by itself, with no water, and throwing a bit of shade for anyone passing by.


End file.
